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McDonald's Corporation Chief Executive Officer Jim Skinner today announced that Steve Easterbrook will resign as president of McDonald's Europe effective September 30, 2011. Easterbrook, 44, is joining the privately owned Gondola Group and will assume operational leadership of the international restaurant brand PizzaExpress as chief executive.
"It's been a real privilege to lead McDonald's in Europe and in the U.K. prior to that," Easterbrook says. "In this time we have made many changes to our business that are clearly appreciated by our customers and staff. I leave knowing that this work will continue and I wish my colleagues every success."
"On behalf of everyone at the Golden Arches, I would like to thank Steve for his 18 years of service," Skinner says. "We will miss his passion for the brand, and we wish him well as he pursues this new opportunity."
The board of directors has elected Doug Goare, current executive vice president of McDonald's global supply chain and real estate development, as president of McDonald's Europe, effective October 1, 2011. Goare, 59, will oversee operations of more than 7,000 McDonald's restaurants in 40 European countries. A 33-year veteran of McDonald's, Goare will relocate to Geneva, Switzerland, headquarters for McDonald's Europe. He will continue to report to Don Thompson, McDonald's president and chief operating officer.
"I'm honored for the opportunity to lead a great management team in Europe focused on our customers, committed to our people, and united with our franchisees, as we continue to drive our business and build our brand," Goare says.
"Doug has led our strategic efforts for both global supply chain and restaurant development in Europe and around the world," Thompson says. "I'm confident that his strong management and operations experience, his deep working knowledge of our business, and his subject matter expertise will bolster his leadership of McDonald's Europe."
The board also elected Jose Armario, current group president of McDonald's Canada and Latin America, to succeed Goare as executive vice president of global supply chain, real estate development, and franchising. Armario, 52, will be responsible for McDonald's $23 billion procurement of food, packaging and premiums, worldwide purchasing and supplier relationships, and food safety and quality systems strategy. Armario will also lead the Company's efforts in developing locations for McDonald's restaurants around the world. He remains responsible for overseeing all international franchising. Armario will continue to report to Thompson.
"The three-legged stool of McDonald's is supported by our company, our incredible franchisees, and our valued suppliers," Armario says. "I'm looking forward to working with our talented teams around the world to maximize supply chain effectiveness and drive strategic global restaurant development."
"We have a deep bench of talent with individuals who are ready to step into these important leadership roles," Skinner says. "Doug's and Jose's appointments reflect our solid succession planning process and the global alignment around McDonald's business strategy, the plan to win."
McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with more than 33,000 locations serving approximately 64 million customers in more than 100 countries each day. More than 80 percent of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by local men and women.
